Evening Pavilions
The artist Rachel Carter was recently awarded Arts Council funding for a participatory public arts project, the concept being a series of steel and willow spheres, which would be lit and installed at Bolsover Castle as part of Junction Arts annual Lantern Parade.
Junction Arts programme, now includes working both in and beyond the district of Bolsover, and as part of this strategy, First Movement, who work with learning adults with disabilities became the hosts for the project.
Caroline Bagnall, Projects Manager for First Movement co-ordinated the work along with Rachel and Val Carman from Junction Arts. This short residency over two weeks engaged with groups from various areas of Derbyshire.
Heavy snow fell, which meant that the sessions had to be re-scheduled for the following week and even then, it was a challenge to travel, but the work began, and the large spheres started to grow in one of the studios of the Level Centre. This award winning space at Rowsley, is inspiring and welcoming, a new building designed by those who responded to what is required for a creative environment, and supported by staff who have endless energy and integrity towards their work.
As part of the sessions, music and drawing added creative support for movement and interaction with the sculptures. Rachel, who has considerable experience, worked through the technical and creative aspects of the work so as to make the sessions exciting, safe and productive. At this current time First Movement are delighted to have the artist Tim Haynes as an employed trainee through the Future Jobs Fund scheme. Tim works with light and projection, and was an invited artist at this year’s Wirksworth Festival. Both he and Rachel decided to collaborate, and ‘evening pavilions’ took on a new dimension, literally!
Rachel had worked intensely with the adults assisted by artist Dawn Turner to ensure that the work would be completed, and towards the end of the week as the sculptures took shape, Tim wove delicate light wire trough the spheres and, along with projection, created a different perspective which brought with it new sensory experiences of looking, and touching. Due to weather restrictions sadly, the parade had to be cancelled but an event was held on February 26th 2011 when the work was installed at Bolsover Castle.
Pictures to follow shortly
Val Carman Project Co-ordinator
LINKS:
www.first-movement.org.uk
www.rachelcarter.co.uk
www.timhaynes.eu
